Improved track-clearer for railroads



- G. C. SHARP.

Car -Track Clearer.

No, 50, 634. Patented 0m; 24,1865.-

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Witnesses. Inventor in g Railroad-Tracks from Snow and Ice; and

letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

streets of cities, rapidly and efiectually cleardescription shows its construction and mode of so as to sweep any remaining snow or ice from the track which has been left by the larger brooms. These are connected with levers on the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE O. SHARP, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED TRACK-CLEARER FOR RAILROADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.-50,634, dated October 24, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE (J. SHARP, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine for Clear- I hereby declare .that the following isa full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the My invention consists of a combination of adjustable brooms or brushes with a platform and carriage running on wheels upon the track of a railroad, and is especially adapted to and serviceable upon railroads'passing over the ing the track from snow and ice. The following operation I make a platform of plank or other material of suificieut strength, of about eighteen feet in length and about six feet in width, and place it on four car-wheels of about thirty inches in diameter, suited to the track.

On the under side of the platform I attach two brooms or brushes, each extending diagonally from the front of the hind wheels to within a few inches of the middle of the axle ot'the forward wheels and there meeting. They are strengthened and made firm bya cross-bar running from one to the other about midway between the angleofmeetingand the other end of the brooms; also by braces from the bottom of the platform. These brooms are placed on the underside ot'the platform and held there by rods passing through the platform, one from each foot of the brooms, and one from a bar which runs from the cross-bar above mentioned [0 the angle of meeting. 011 the top of the platform these rods are provided with levers, by which the brooins can he raised and lowered at-either end, as the condition'of the track and the snow and ice upon it require.

The brooms or brushes are made of wood, rattan, metal, or any material which is sufficiently strong, elastic, and durable. Rattan has been used and found serviceable. They are madefa-stby clamps and screws to strongbacks, from which they can be detached to repair or renew them. A small broom or brush of the same construction is attached in like manner to the under side of the platform behind each of the rear wheels, crossing them diagonally,

upper side; of the platform, by which they can be lowered and raised and adjusted to suit the condition of the road.

Before each of the frout wheels, and attached to the fore part of the platform, isa small scraper, with aprojection on the edge ofit adapted to and fitting into the groove of the rail, to clear the snow, ice, or other obstructions from it before the wheels pass over it, the scraper and the projection on it bending slightly inward toward the wheel,.that it may yield, in some measure, to the inequalities of the rail or other impediment, the scraper being placed diagonally across the track to carry the obstructions from it.

The scrapers are of iron and are connected with levers on the top of the platform, by which they can be raisedor depressed, as may be found necessaryi The brooms or brushes may be placed'in other parts of the machine and inother positions, under the plat-form, in front of or behind the wheels; but the arrangement above described has been found practically to work very well, and is believed to be the best.

On the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part ofthis specification, Figure 1 represents a side viewofthe machine; Fig.2, a front view; Fig. 3, a rear view; Fig. 4, the top of the platform, and Fig. 5 the under side of the platform.

B represents the larger brooms; O, the smaller.

Other parts indicated by letters will be readil y understood.

This machine has been found very useful in clearing snow and ice'from the tracks of city railroads, having been put in practical operation for thepurpose of trial during the last winter and found very well adapted to the purpose, accomplishing the desired result expeditiously, with a great saving of labor of men and horses. It is specially designed forsuch tracks, but may also be used on roads on which steam power is employed.

I do not claim any of the parts of said machine separately; but

I claim- The combination of a platform on wheels with brooms or brushes, substantially as above described GEORGE O. SHARP. Witnesses H. 0. BANKS, Moses ELY. 

